I CONQUERED THE CURSED CANAL!
Moderator: Excalibur Marketing Dude
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I CONQUERED THE CURSED CANAL!
The Gum Neck Drainage Canal:
It's a blessing to me.
It's a curse to me.
It's a blessing because it drains the land, making it more useful for farming and living. It's a blessing because it's dike is a levee, protecting us from the floodwaters of the Alligator River, and sparing us from having to keep flood insurance on our dwelling.
It's a curse because it bisects my entire farm ... nearly half-a-mile of 36 feet wide, five feet (8 or nine when it's flooded) deep canal ... with a sticky, mucky bottom up to your knees. Plenty of cottonmouth moccasins around it, even this time of year. It's very difficult to cross without going under, and going under is dangerous.
It's a curse because it's protected from further development, and there has been no bridge across it on my property as long as I've lived here. It's always been a real thorn in my side ... I've had to go half-a-mile away to get across when I want to get to my woods on the other side, which adjoins Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Last year, a bear hunter I was hosting fell in while wading the canal in December ... rifle, backpack, waders and all ... it's a good thing he didn't get stuck in the muck bottom and drown.
It was the final straw.
Bear season opens Monday.
I was determined to bridge the canal.
And I did:
4 - 2" X 12" X 12'
20 - 2" X 4" X 8'
1 - Steel T-post
1- Old tow rope
4 hours in water up to my chin with muck up to my knees, pounding posts into the bottom with a sledge, and installing the treadway.
5 hours building and installing the "chicken board" stairs up the 14' levee.
Sweet satisfaction:
Bear tracks on the chicken board, the night after construction. So much for the scent-control theorists, huh?
It's not pretty, but it's functional, and it has a certain rustic charm.
Believe you me ... it was no mean feat to get that done all by myself!
Boys, when I walked across that bridge, I felt like Julius Caesar crossing the Rhine!
It's a blessing to me.
It's a curse to me.
It's a blessing because it drains the land, making it more useful for farming and living. It's a blessing because it's dike is a levee, protecting us from the floodwaters of the Alligator River, and sparing us from having to keep flood insurance on our dwelling.
It's a curse because it bisects my entire farm ... nearly half-a-mile of 36 feet wide, five feet (8 or nine when it's flooded) deep canal ... with a sticky, mucky bottom up to your knees. Plenty of cottonmouth moccasins around it, even this time of year. It's very difficult to cross without going under, and going under is dangerous.
It's a curse because it's protected from further development, and there has been no bridge across it on my property as long as I've lived here. It's always been a real thorn in my side ... I've had to go half-a-mile away to get across when I want to get to my woods on the other side, which adjoins Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Last year, a bear hunter I was hosting fell in while wading the canal in December ... rifle, backpack, waders and all ... it's a good thing he didn't get stuck in the muck bottom and drown.
It was the final straw.
Bear season opens Monday.
I was determined to bridge the canal.
And I did:
4 - 2" X 12" X 12'
20 - 2" X 4" X 8'
1 - Steel T-post
1- Old tow rope
4 hours in water up to my chin with muck up to my knees, pounding posts into the bottom with a sledge, and installing the treadway.
5 hours building and installing the "chicken board" stairs up the 14' levee.
Sweet satisfaction:
Bear tracks on the chicken board, the night after construction. So much for the scent-control theorists, huh?
It's not pretty, but it's functional, and it has a certain rustic charm.
Believe you me ... it was no mean feat to get that done all by myself!
Boys, when I walked across that bridge, I felt like Julius Caesar crossing the Rhine!
Grizz
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Sadly, I had to disturb a really hot deer trail in installing the bridge.
That notch in the bank where the two steps up to the "chicken board" are is actually a place worn out by deer ... note the trail going up the dike alongside the plank.
It's not unusual for a trail on the dike to be a foot deep!
No problem ... they'll just go around it.
The bears will use it ... one already has.
Deer never will.
I just hope bears don't destroy it.
They're awful hard on anything built of lumber. It's really aggravating.
That notch in the bank where the two steps up to the "chicken board" are is actually a place worn out by deer ... note the trail going up the dike alongside the plank.
It's not unusual for a trail on the dike to be a foot deep!
No problem ... they'll just go around it.
The bears will use it ... one already has.
Deer never will.
I just hope bears don't destroy it.
They're awful hard on anything built of lumber. It's really aggravating.
Grizz
grizz i don,t know if you have seen my bridge but here is a pic it's made from a greenhouse float all the tobacco farmers will know what that is if you can find an old one it would cross the cannal with out post so high water would not take it out. i have one extra but might be a little expensive to ship.(could be a good reson to come to canada for a deer hunt
PUT IT IN THE BAG MARLIN ( #$%^ you it"ll bite)
BAD NEWS TRAVELS FAST
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BAD NEWS TRAVELS FAST
[email protected]
munchmounts channel utube
munchmounts facebook
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- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:36 pm
- Location: Decatur County, Indiana
All right, Munch ... I'll be up after it soon!munch wrote: i have one extra but might be a little expensive to ship.(could be a good reson to come to canada for a deer hunt
That's a neat bridge, and a good use of material.
I don't have current to worry about. Even when it's flooded, the current of the canal is barely perceptible.
I plan on making another, and higher bridge ... perhaps as soon as this late winter ... using that one as a working platform.
Or maybe not!
Grizz
Cursed Canal
Grizz that was a big job for sure. By your info re water levels, Munch put forth the concern re water levels. Is there much current when the water depth is 8-9 ft? Good luck and hope it stands the test. You will enjoy the convenience for sure.
bbbwb
bbbwb
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Re: Cursed Canal
You can see by the mud what the usual high level is ... just about at the bottom of the treadway.bbbwb wrote: Munch put forth the concern re water levels. Is there much current when the water depth is 8-9 ft?
There isn't much current ... the canal has floodgates. It's pumped.
The posts are driven deep ... it doesn't shake at all, and I'm a big boy!
As stated, my plan is to build a better one, using that one as a walkway to assist in the building.
I hope it lasts at least through the winter ... and I think it would last much longer than that.
Grizz
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- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:36 pm
- Location: Decatur County, Indiana
Here's a 'gator that was removed from a local farm not far from here ... an inhabitant of a canal that interconnects with mine, in fact ... a 13' 6" whopper:bugs wrote:I would feel safe in a muddy canal here but not sure how I would feel with poisonous snakes and aligators in my country!!!
The biggest one I've heard of coming out of my canal was an 8' alligator.
I don't worry about 'em ... or snakes ... but I'm aware!
Grizz
If you build it he will cross.
Great job grizz.
To bad you couldn't just pull a moses out of your hat.
Great job grizz.
To bad you couldn't just pull a moses out of your hat.
Scott
http://www.myspace.com/saxman1
Take a kid hunting
They don't remember their best day of watching TV
Excalibur Equinox
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http://www.myspace.com/saxman1
Take a kid hunting
They don't remember their best day of watching TV
Excalibur Equinox
TruGlo Red/Green Dot
NGSS Absorber by NewGuy
Custom strings by BOO
Groundpounder Top Mount
ACF Member - 2011